Curtain and drapery pilot or guide



J. ELLIOTT I CURTAIN AND DRAPERY PILOT OR GUIDE Filed Sept. 30, 1952 rRT Y. 00 E M m wmJm m m A Patented Aug. 14, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTFries This invention relates generally to devices to be employed in thehanging of curtains and similar draperies and is more particularlydirected to a means for facilitating the application of curtains ordraperies to their supporting rods, as

' a so-called pilot, guideor threader.

-Asis well known, window or other curtains are customarily suspended.from metal rods or wood poles, the rod or pole being inserted with- 1Oin a hem or fold formed at one end of the curtain. Thosesuspensiondevices most commonly employed are metallic rods of a channelcrosssection, composed of two sections, each embodying a straightportion terminating in a curved -1 -5 end, apertured or otherwiseadapted to engage a supporting bracket or the like, fixed to the windowor door frame, or other surface with which the curtain or drapery is tobe associated. The straight portions of the two sections are formed fortelescopic engagement for assembly and disassembly and to render the rodextensible or adjustable to accommodate it to curtains and supportingsurfaces of different widths.

In applying a curtain to a rod, the two sections are disassembled andone thereof is threaded through the curtain hem with thestraight end ofthe rod section forming the entering edge,

or, alternatively, the rod section may be held stationary and thecurtain drawn thereover, the 130 curtain being gathered upon the rodsection which is then telescoped into its mate, after which the curtainmay be expanded in the desired draping arrangement across the nowcomplete or assembled rod. However, either of these prescribed methodsof application is extremely difiicult to practice with any degree ofcelerity and without damage to the curtain, because of the fact that theend of the straight portion of each rod section is substantially sharp,usually embodying rough edges or burrs which are a product of thestamping operation, whereby the rods are formed,

many. instances, resulting in tears or damaged areas in the hem andadjacent parts of the curtain, that render it unfit for'service.

Even with the exercise of great care, the prevention of tears or breaks'in the material, during the curtain threading operation is mostdiflicult, the diiiiculties being multiplied with a concomitant increasein the likelihood of damage to the curtain, where it is constituted of amaterial of a soft or sheer texture, as in many of the expensivedraperies. 7

Therefore, the general object ofthis invention is to provide a methodand means of applying curtains and similar draperies tosectionalmetallic rods, whereby the work will be greatly facilitated and, at thesame time, the material of which the curtain is composed will besafeguarded against injury or damage by the rod section, in theassociation of the curtain therewith.

I More specifically, it is the object of this inven tion to provide apilot or guide for use in locating or arranging curtains and. similarlyhemmed draperies upon a metallic hanging rod, or sec- 65. tion thereof,which is of a simple, economical and efiicient design and is susceptibleof application to rods, or their sections, of different sizes,

so as to impart to my invention a wide range of utility,

Another object of my invention is the provision of a pilot or guide, ashereinbei'ore set forth, which may be readily applied to and detachedfrom the curtain rod, or rod-section with which it is to be used andwill function in conjunction with such rod, or section, to insure thefree passage ormovement oi the rod within the curtain hem, in which itis insertable, irrespective of the softness or clinging characteristicsof the our tain material or of a condition of the rod 'material at itshementering end which, in the absence of such pilot, would tend toimpair the progression of the curtain along the-rod or rodsection, as inthe conventional threading operation.

My invention further contemplates a so-called pilot or curtain threadingdevice, whereby a curtain may be expeditiously applied to a curtain rod,or a rod-section, which will enclose or house the end of the rod orrod-section to Whichit Q is applied and operate to guide the rod throughthe curtain hem within which it is locatable, my said device includingyielding means for detachably retainingit in functioning associationwith the rod, or rod-section, to which it is applied 5 for theperformance of the intended Work. upon which the curtain materialimpinges; in

Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my inventionwill doubtless present themselves as the description proceeds and Iwould have it clearly understood that I 1 reserve unto myself, allrights to the full range of equivalents, both in structureand in use, to

which I may be entitled under my invention in .its broadest aspect.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing the application of myinvention to a curtain rodsection and the mode in which it functions topilot the section through the curtain hem.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the pilot or threaderillustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top or front plan view of my improved pilot or threader,with a fragment of a curtain rod-section seated'therein, portions ofeach being shown in dotted lines to indicate their relative positions inassembled relation.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Figure 3, and V YFigures 5 and 6 are respectively plan and side elevations of theyieldable retaining means of my device.

Referring now to the drawing 'in' detail, in which like characters ofreference are employed to indicate similar parts in the several views, afragment of a curtain or piece of drapery is shown at '7, which embodiesthe usual hem 8 formed by folding the fabric upon itself and stitchingthe fold along the line 8a.

While my invention, as will be evident, may be applied tovarious typesof curtain rods, an nular or of other cross-section, and to rods ofdifferent widths or diameter, I have herein shown it as it may beutilized in conjunction with that type of curtain rod which is mostcommonly used, one which comprises two like sections having a channelcross-section, one of the sections telescoping within the other. Afragment of a section of such a rod is indicated at 9, it

being noted that the side-forming flanges thereof are curved inwardly,as at 10, the edges thereof being substantially parallel through thelength of the rod. As previously pointed out, each rod section embodiesa straight portion merging into a curved attaching portion, whereby therod, when assembled, may be mounted on a suitable support.

The straight portion of the rod, at the end remote from the curvedattaching part, is sheared off in the stamping operation, by which therodsection is formed, to present a substantially straight edge, or onewhich may projectoutwardly of the terminal portions'of'the flangesabutting thereon, and have a curved or somewhat angular contour.Usually, this projecting surface is somewhat irregular in outline, asshown in dotted line, indicated at 9a in Figure 3 of the drawing, due tothe relatively thin stock'or metal from which the rod is formed and theshearing action of the cutting tool; the fact that this end of thecurtain rodsection is wholly concealed by the curtain suspendedtherefrom when in use, causing the rod manufacturers to disregard anylack of uniformity of contourcor other irregularities that mayoccurtherein, or in the side flanges, which, similarly to the web areusually more or less rough and frequently burred. As this end 911 mustfunction as the entering portion of the rod section, when the curtain isto be gathered or threaded thereupon, it will be obvious that any sharpsurfaces, or burrs or other inequalities in the metalof-the web orflanges will be productive of difficulties in the threading operation.The curtain materiaI usualIy is of a soft texture, and, since there isno practical methodof' distend-ing' the hemor fold 8 throughout itslength, that the rod section may pass 'therethroughwithout contactingwith the hem material, the threading operation must be performedveryslowly, the curtain being moved over the entering end of therod sectiona little at a time and simultaneously drawn or stretched laterally andvertically, relatively thereto, in the effort to keep it out of contactwith the sharp edges of the rod end, so as to avert tearing or breakingof the texture of the curtain material. Notwithstanding the mostpainstaking effort, however, the curtain threading operation is usuallyproductive of tears or abrasions in the curtain materialfasf it catchesupon some sharp projection in a flange or along the edge of the web ofthe rod section.

, My pilot or threader, as will be clearly seen from Figure 1 of thedrawing, is adapted to be applied directly to the afore-describedentering end of the curtain rod section and comprises a head in the formof a receptacle 11 which is suitably dimensioned to wholly enclose theweb and portions of the flanges 10 adjacent such end, it being apparentthat the internal profile of the head conforms substantially to theexternal contour of the rod section in the zone of contact,the'periphery of the head therebeyond being of an appropriate curvatureto eifectthe dilation of the curtain hem, so that the pilot and rod mayfollow freely therethrough.

As will be observed, one surface of the recep tacle 11 is extended toconstitute a plate 12, the sides 13 of which preferably converge towardthe extremity 14 thereof, this plate, similarly to the head, beingformed from sheet metal and being substantially rigid, so as to lie flatagainst the outer surface of the web 9, when the head is located uponthe end of the rod section, as hereinafter described.

I Preferably fixed at one end to the inner wall of the head orreceptacle 11, as by welding, riveting or the like, I provide a spring15 formed from so-called flat stock, which normally abuts upon theaforesaid plate 12, the free end of said spring being rolled or turnedupwardly, as at 16. Intermediate of its ends, the spring may bedistorted. or bent, as at 17, to increase the pressure that may beexerted thereby upon. the plate 12', throughout the area thereof withwhich the spring remains in contact.

From theforegoing, itwill be manifest that in the use of my pilot, it isapplied to the end of the rod section which is to be located within thecurtain hem by alining the end 4 of the plate 12 with the outer surfaceof the web 9 of the rod section and urging the pilot longitudinally ofthe 'rod so that the spring 15 will enter upon the inner face of the weband traverse the same until the head encases the web and flange portionsto provide a protective covering therefor, asheretofore set forth, itbeing evident that the pressure exertedby the spring 15: counter to theplate 12 will produce sufficient clamping effort to retain the pilotinfunctioning position. With the pilot appliedto the rod end, asdescribed, the rod section '1 .may bereadi-ly inserted. within thecurtain hem, either by drawing. the curtain thereover, or by .moving therod section through the hem, the smooth rounded surface of the head ofthe pilot readily eifecting' the dilation of the hem, even in thoseinstances where the material of which the curtainis made is of a softclinging texture. Asthe gathering'of the curtain upon the rod section-iscompleted, the pilot may be removed or detached from itsfunctioningposition, simply by grasping the head and withdrawing itlongitudi-nall yof the" rod, the: rod section being-then telescopically engaged withits-mate: and the cunta-in draped uponthe completed rod. V

While thespring 15 may: take other forms and its iio

be otherwise afiixed to the head, than heretofore described, I prefer toutilize a strip of material long enough to conform a portion thereof tothe inner wall of the receptacle to impinge upon the parallel walls andthe curved connecting end wall, the spring within the receptacle thustaking the shape shown in elevation in Figure 6, and generally indicatedby the reference character 15a. In order to afford sufiicient clearancefor the passage of the receptacle-contained portion of the springbetween the rod flanges, as the rod is urged to its limit of movementwithin the head, the sides of this portion of the spring may be undercutas shown at 1512 in Figure 5, the major part of the spring being of auniform width that will afford a sufficient area for the eflicientperformance of its intended function.

While the head and the plate 12, as herein shown are integral or aunitary structure, the head may be separately formed and welded orotherwise aifixed to the plate or a similarly functioning shank element,or the plate and one surface of the head may be struck from a singleblank of material, as spring steel to which a formation to constitutethe head in conjunction with a portion of said blank may be joined. Insuch a construction, if desired, in lieu of the independent springclamping element, a tongue may be formed by suitable incisions in thespring steel plate and suitably set to function in 00- operation withthe plate to exert the requisite clamping effort upon the web of the rodwhen interposed between said plate and its integrally formed tongue.Obviously, such modified forms of my invention and other embodimentsthereof will come within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for guiding curtains and similar draperies onto a supportingrod, comprising a rigid plate, a receptacle associated in fixedrelationship thereto, said receptacle being adapted to receive the endof the curtain or drapery supporting rod and enclose the same, the saidplate contacting with an external surface of the rod inwardly of its endand yieldable means fixed within said receptacle and superposed uponsaid plate, said latter means engaging the surface of said rod oppositeto that with which said plate contacts, coincidentally with the enteringof the end of the rod into said receptacle.

2. A device adapted to be associated with the end of a curtainsupporting rod, to facilitate the threading of a curtain or the likeupon said rod, said device embodying a receptacle formed to embrace theend of the rod and providing a head having a curved peripheral contourconstituting a virtual continuation of said rod, a rigid element formingan extension of a part of the wall of said receptacle and a fiat springadapted to yieldingly engage a surface of a flat portion of the rodopposite to that upon which said rigid element is adapted to bear inflat contact, to clamp said device in functioning position upon said rodby a single operation, said device serving to dilate the rod-receivinghem of the curtain or the like and pilot the rod therethrough.

3. The combination with a curtain rod, of a device for piloting the endof said rod through the rod-receiving hem of the curtain, said deviceembodying a plate-like shank, a head supported from said shank andformed to receive and embrace the end of the rod, said head having across-section conforming substantially to that of the rod, with anexternal profile presenting an entering surface curved in alldirections, and a spring disposed upon said shank and connected in saidhead adapted to frictionally engage a surface of the rod opposite tothat upon which said shank is locatable to retain said device infunctioning position upon said rod, said spring and said shankclampingly engaging the rod body simultaneously with the entry of theend of the rod into said head.

4. A pilot adapted to be detachably connected to the end of a curtainsupporting rod of a shallow channel cross-section to facilitate thelocation of said rod within the curtain hem, said pilot embodying a headshaped to form a receptacle to receive and enclose the web and flangesof said rod adjacent one end thereof, the internal profile of said headconforming substantially to the external contour of the rod, a plateforming a continuation of a part of the surface of said head adapted tolie in flat contact with the external surface of the web of said rodcontiguous to the enclosed end thereof and a substantially flat springjoined to said head at one end and superposed upon said plate, saidspring being shaped to enter between the flanges of the rod to engagethe inner face of the web thereof, and cooperate with said plate toretain said head in position upon said rod, coincidentally with thelocation of the rod end within said receptacle the peripheral contour ofthe entering portion of said head serving to effect the dilation of thecurtain hem to admit of the pilot and the rod passing freelytherethrough.

JOSEPH ELLIOTT.

